1. Field
This disclosure relates to intermediate memory systems, more particularly to those using nonvolatile memory.
2. Background
Intermediate memory has several useful applications. For example, a personal computer uses a cache memory to store frequently accessed data in a faster memory than that used for the main memory. Similarly, placing frequently used data in a smaller memory saves time in seeking and reading the data from a larger memory.
Other types of intermediate memory are used as well. For example, portable electronic devices that communicate with a computer or workstation may use the hard disk of the computer as its main memory. They use the local memory in the device as an intermediate storage. Similarly, in a distributed computing environment, each workstation connected to the central server or repository may have a local storage to avoid having to transport the same data across the network unnecessarily.
In many applications, the local store is a volatile memory that does not retain its data upon loss of power. However, it is possible to use nonvolatile memory, allowing retention of the data in the intermediate storage. Currently, no known systems make any effort to create or store images of the intermediate storage. However, this ability would provide several advantages for manufacturers of electronic devices, among others.